The Cyberabad police have busted five gangs involved in online cricket betting and seized over Rs 2.41 crore. The Special Operations Team (SOT) and police have arrested 15 organisers and bookies in five different cases, a police official said.
In the first case, the SOT Shamshabad arrested Pondhuri Suresh, 42, from Kukatpally for his involvement in online cricket betting on the ongoing IPL-2024 matches through five websites.
Police said on his information, they apprehended one more accused, Mothkupally Rama Krishna Reddy (30). Suresh also revealed that Ramanjaneyulu, a native of Narasaraopet, Andhra Pradesh was the main organiser, who is absconding.
Police seized Rs 30.07 lakh cash and froze Rs 49.92 lakh in two bank accounts.
In the second case, Lachupathula Chinna Babu, Chennamsetti Karimulla Sekhadri, Panamati Venkatesh and Donda Ramesh from Dundigal were arrested for organising online cricket betting through an online betting app.
The police seized Rs 2,400 cash and froze Rs 1.19 lakh in seven bank accounts. They also seized property worth Rs 4.84 lakh including smartphones and laptops.
SOT Madhapur team apprehended four bookies under the limits of Miyapur police station.
They are Kandukuri Veera Shankar Chary, Bhoomi Reddy Ramprasad Reddy, Pabbati Murali and Upasi Vamshi Krishna.
They revealed that four main organisers are absconding. They have been identified as Rajesh Reddy, native of Bengaluru, Suresh Reddy, presently operating from Dubai, Nagarajuna Reddy and Sadiq. Police seized Rs 87,000 cash and froze Rs 1.43 crore in four bank accounts. Materials worth Rs 80.05 lakh were also seized.
In the fourth case, SOT Balanagar apprehended bookies Yerramachu Ajay Kumar and Anadula Mahesh Kumar from Jeedimetla. Main organiser Naresh alias Nani is absconding. The police seized Rs 73,500 cash and froze Rs 21,034 in one bank account. Properties worth Rs 1.04 lakh was seized.
SOT Balanagar nabbed bookies Morthala Srikanth Reddy, Alli Lokesh and G. Venkata Sunil from Bachupally. They were working as bookies on behalf of main organisers Nilesh and Budda Reddy. Police froze Rs 13.30 lakh in bank accounts and also seized materials worth Rs 1.83 lakh.